Philomene Long
Philomene Long (August 17, 1940 - August 21, 2007), was an American poet and friend of Beat poet Stuart Perkoff. Life Long was born in Greenwich Village, New York City. Her twin sister, Pegarty Long, became a producer and director, known for the films An Irish Vampire in Hollywood (2013) and Incision (1999). In her 20s, Philomene spent roughly 5 years as a Catholic nun. She later became a Zen practiotioner. From the 1960s onward, she lived most of her life in Venice, California. She was the 4th wife of poet John Thomas, whom she had met in 1983 at a poetry reading.Naomi Glauberman, "Eating in with Venice bohemians John Thomas and Philomene Long," Los Angeles New Times. Web. Feb. 14. 2010. The couple were inseparable in his last years, and Thomas dedicated his final poems to her.Fred Dewwy, "Epitaph: John Thomas, Los Angeles Magazine, June 2002, 28. Web. Feb. 14. 2010/ He said she "resurrected him." They lived together on the edge of American society, maintaining a lifestyle of "living poor" based on the ancient Zen recluse poets. "I would feel uncomfortable and irritable living any other way. I have Philomene, a pen, a pad, shirt and pants. If you start wanting more, it fills you up, leading to a poverty of the heart and mind." She directed films, her best known being The Beats: An existential comedy, which had appearances by poets Allen Ginsberg and Lawrence Ferlinghetti. She also directed The California Missions, narrated by Martin Sheen. She died of heart failure at her home in Venice on August 21, 2007. Writing Fred Dewey, director of the Beyond Baroque literary arts center in Venice, said of her: "Philomene was passionately committed to poetry. She understood it down to her old Irish roots." According to Dewey, Long wrote in the tradition of the Beat poets of the 1950s and 1960s, but added phrases that suggest Zen koans and liturgical chants, drawing from her personal interests and experience.Mary Rourke, "Philomene Long, 67; well-known Venice poet," Los Angeles Times, August 31, 2007. Web, Apr. 12, 2018. Recognition \ In 2005, she was made Poet Laureate of Venice. Publications Poetry *''The Dream Awakening: Poems'' (with Kathy Jacobi). Malibu, CA: Kilcoushia Press, 1978. *''The California Mission Poems'' (with Mariano Zaro). Berkeley, CA : University of California Extension Media Center, 1991. *''The Ghosts of Venice West'' (with John Thomas & Anne Waldman). Venice, CA: Raven Productions, 1994. *''The Queen of Bohemia: Volume I''. San Pedro, CA: Lummox Press, 2002. *''Cold Eye Burning at 3 a.m.: Volume 2''. San Pedro, CA: Lummox Press, 2002. Non-fiction *''American Zen Bones: Maezumi Roshi stories''. Los Angeles: Beyond Baroque, 1999. Edited *''Bukowski in the Bathtub: Recollections of Charles Bukowski with John Thomas''. Sudbury, MA: Water Row Press, 1999. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Philomene Long, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Apr. 15, 2018. Audio / video Film *''The California Missions'' (VHS). Berkeley, CA : University of California Extension Media Center, 1990. *''The Beats: An existential comedy'' (DVD). Venice, CA: Raven Productions, 1990; New York: Cinema Guild, 2005. Except where noted, information courtesy WorldCat. See also *The Beat poets *List of U.S. poets References External Links ;Poems *poems & prose by Philomene Long Thomas and John Thomas at Virtual Venice *Deathbed Conversation with Stuart Perkoff ;About * *Philoemen Long Official website. ;Etc. *Raven Productions Category:1940 births Category:20th-century poets Category:20th-century women writers Category:American poets Category:American women writers Category:English-language poets Category:Poets Category:People from New York City Category:Beat Generation poets Category:Women poets